D in Biostatistics

[j.leah]

I jus finished my second year of college. I struggled heavily with my Biostatistics course and ultimately received a D. My school does not offer any grade replacements or retaking opportunities so unfortunately it is stuck on my transcript. My oGPA and sGPA is a 3.3. The class is no longer required for my major (just my luck) but there is a similar course, Public Health Statistics, that is with a professor I have had before and learned a lot from so I know I will do well in her class.

My question is, should I retake the Biostatistics course or just take the Public Health Statistics? Would either look better or worse, in your opinion, to a Dental School?

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[WaveRace]

Don't fret too much. You have time to get your GPA up over the next year or too. You need to figure out why this happened, though. You will be taking more courses that challenge you before the end of undergrad (and in dental school). Did you read the slides ahead of time? Did you utilize office hours? Should you have gotten a tutor? Did you study enough each day for the class? Be honest with yourself when you review what you did for the course. Take responsibility and move forward! Just some things to think about.

As far as retaking vs taking a different course, it doesn't matter. Biostatistics isn't a prereq, so most applicants haven't taken it. I'd focus on getting a good grade in whatever class you take. That matters more than what class it is!


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[I'mFlossy]

Honest answer: All in all it is not going to matter. Take the one you feel more confident you are going to learn more in and get a better grade in!

My best personal philosophy when it came to my grades and applying to professional school was to just seriously do the best I could, and be confident in that. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, this is what makes each dental applicant different from one another. I got C's in calculus and Organic Chem. But I kicked booty in biochemistry and general chemistry! Initially I let the fact that I got a C in ochem destroy me and my academic confidence. But, then one day I decided that everything thing else that makes me me should matter more than one silly grade. Admissions committees like to see how students overcome adversity and how they mature through difficult situations.

Moral of the story... don't let this one grade get you down. Learn from it. Grow from it. Understand how to not let it happen again.

 

[j.leah]

Don't fret too much. You have time to get your GPA up over the next year or too. You need to figure out why this happened, though. You will be taking more courses that challenge you before the end of undergrad (and in dental school). Did you read the slides ahead of time? Did you utilize office hours? Should you have gotten a tutor? Did you study enough each day for the class? Be honest with yourself when you review what you did for the course. Take responsibility and move forward! Just some things to think about.

As far as retaking vs taking a different course, it doesn't matter. Biostatistics isn't a prereq, so most applicants haven't taken it. I'd focus on getting a good grade in whatever class you take. That matters more than what class it is!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Honest answer: All in all it is not going to matter. Take the one you feel more confident you are going to learn more in and get a better grade in!

My best personal philosophy when it came to my grades and applying to professional school was to just seriously do the best I could, and be confident in that. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, this is what makes each dental applicant different from one another. I got C's in calculus and Organic Chem. But I kicked booty in biochemistry and general chemistry! Initially I let the fact that I got a C in ochem destroy me and my academic confidence. But, then one day I decided that everything thing else that makes me me should matter more than one silly grade. Admissions committees like to see how students overcome adversity and how they mature through difficult situations.

Moral of the story... don't let this one grade get you down. Learn from it. Grow from it. Understand how to not let it happen again.

Thank you both tremendously for your replies.

In reference to @Wolfbarker I definitely underestimated the class and did not allot the time necessary to commit to the required studying with addition to my 3 other science courses. I really appreciated your honest answer.

@imflossy thank you so much for your encouraging words! I must say it's slightly discouraging to go on here and see other's with a 4.0 while I'm struggling in my courses, I definitely felt myself getting caught in a similar "academic rut"